The first ever festival dedicated to sparking global conversations via contemporary Chinese cinema in the Midlands is set to return to Leicester for the third year in a row.
Scheduled to take place at the end of this month (25 November – 1 December), Electric Shadows 2024 will present a series of ‘Action’ related new and classic films this year at both Showcase Cinema and Phoenix Cinema in Leicester
As a tradition, the festival will continue to host a programme of cultural events in parallel, including free Mandarin lessons, heritage performances and Tai-Chi lessons by De Montfort University’s Confucius Institute, concluding with an industry networking event led by NGO UK-China Film Collab.
Focusing on the theme of “Action” this year, the festival is a proactive response to and a part of the larger ongoing national film season across the UK – “Art of Action”, presented by the BFI. This year’s festival receives supports from the BFI Film Hub Midlands for such participation.
“Art of Action” is a new BFI season celebrating the artistry of real action choreography, that has kept film audiences on the edge of their seats since the early days of cinema. Presented by the BFI Film Audience Network (BFI FAN) using funds from the National Lottery, “Art of Action” will take place at cinemas across the UK from October-December 2024, with the chance to get behind-the-scenes insights from those working in the action and stunt communities, via special events, demonstrations, talks and screenings throughout the season.
Electric Shadows is proud to be part of this important season.
The 2024 edition will open with Leap of Faith (2024), a UK Festival Premiere.
Directed by Lina Yang, Leap of Faith is the first ever feature documentary about Chinese teenagers learning horse riding. The four lead ‘actresses’ are all excellent young riders. Which distinguishes them from their peers is that they each have a horse and each girl has a story related to herself and her horse. During the year, we recorded their efforts and results while they were preparing for the national young sports meeting. What was unexpected is the separation between them and their loved ones in life or death, failures and pains. Love and trust between them and their horses, their growth and worries of adolescence, their ideas and duties about future society, all of these are like a song of life composed through the journey of 2019.
The opening gala of Electric Shadows 2024 will take place on 25 November evening at the Director’s Lounge, Showcase Cinema in Leicester with a private reception. Full programme to be announced soon.
The festival has offered internship opportunity to students from De Montfort University’s Global Arts Management BA programme, where they can have hands-on experience as part of their studies.
Tickets now on sale.
Concept Poster: Bill Mao
